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Is your Passport still Valid?

Most passports spend the majority of their lives in a safe or drawer, never looked at or thought about until the yearly summer holiday comes around again.

However, neglecting your passports for most of the year could prove dangerous for your summer holiday. A passport is a ticket to anywhere in the world, it should allow you safe passage to another country and home again, plus access to visas and other travel necessities. However, this golden ticket does come with an expiry date, and without it you won’t be able to travel freely.
According to the Passport Office, over 550,000 passport applications are expected in July alone. Many of these applications will be from organised people who have left plenty of time before their travels; however, many other customers will try to use the office’s fast track or premium services, to make sure their passports arrive in time for their holiday.
According to official figures, people aged 16 – 20 years old are the least likely to check their passport, and so are the most likely to leave ordering a new one until the last minute, threatening their entire summer holiday.
To help anyone planning a holiday, here are our tops tips to avoid a passport nightmare;
• Check the expiry date of your passport before you book any part of your holiday. Make sure it won’t expire during your trip.
• Remember to check your children’s passports carefully, as these expire every five years. When they turn 16 they will need an adult passport.
• Some countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months to grant you entry to their country. Check the rules and regulations of your chosen destination before you travel.
• Photocopy your passport and any other important documents before your travel, and make sure you keep the copies in a separate place to the originals.
• You can renew your passport up to nine months in advance, so don’t leave it until the last minute! Also remember that the process of ordering a new passport can take several weeks.
Remember it does cost around £70-£80 to renew an adult passport, depending on which service you use.
Please note, Holidaysafe's online prices automatically include a 15% discount against our Customer Service Centre prices.